Best Secondary in the League?

[adam]

With the addition of Byard (and subtraction of Jackson), the Bears are rolling out:

Johnson, Stevenson, Gordon, Brisker, and Byard as the starting secondary with Terrell Smith, Greg Stroman, and Jonathan Owens as the first rotational players. Terrell Smith was the 2nd highest graded DB last year (behind JJ), and Owens had more snaps last year than any DB on the team. 

Can you name a better group, considering the depth as well? I can't. 

 

Also, this offseason was about clearing out the bottom of the roster. Blackwell, Ngakoue, Jackson, Jones, and Green were all in the bottom 10 players on the defense. There were a ton of bad snaps in that group that are now gone. Hicks was also in there and is now one position lower on the depth chart with Owens. 

Funny that there was a similar trend on offense with the loss of Mooney, Patrick, Whitehair, and Tonyan. Another set of bad snaps gone.

[Mongo3451]

Possibly...💪

[BearFan PHX]

2 hours ago, adam said:

With the addition of Byard (and subtraction of Jackson), the Bears are rolling out:

Johnson, Stevenson, Gordon, Brisker, and Byard as the starting secondary with Terrell Smith, Greg Stroman, and Jonathan Owens as the first rotational players. Terrell Smith was the 2nd highest graded DB last year (behind JJ), and Owens had more snaps last year than any DB on the team. 

Can you name a better group, considering the depth as well? I can't. 

 

Also, this offseason was about clearing out the bottom of the roster. Blackwell, Ngakoue, Jackson, Jones, and Green were all in the bottom 10 players on the defense. There were a ton of bad snaps in that group that are now gone. Hicks was also in there and is now one position lower on the depth chart with Owens. 

Funny that there was a similar trend on offense with the loss of Mooney, Patrick, Whitehair, and Tonyan. Another set of bad snaps gone.

Poles really is killing it as far as the roster goes. We Bears fans deserve this. It's been way too long.

[adam]

3 hours ago, BearFan PHX said:

Poles really is killing it as far as the roster goes. We Bears fans deserve this. It's been way too long.

I mean, really, if they add an Edge, DT, WR3, and Center before the season starts. Who is the weakest starting player? Nate Davis? They have Ryan Bates is waiting in the wings. I honestly can't think of another player that would be considered a liability who is starting.  

Also, the Bears still have 3 picks in the first two rounds in 2025 (thanks Panthers). So any liability identified this year will have instant backfill in 2025. 

[BearFan PHX]

6 minutes ago, adam said:

I mean, really, if they add an Edge, DT, WR3, and Center before the season starts. Who is the weakest starting player? Nate Davis? They have Ryan Bates is waiting in the wings. I honestly can't think of another player that would be considered a liability who is starting.  

Also, the Bears still have 3 picks in the first two rounds in 2025 (thanks Panthers). So any liability identified this year will have instant backfill in 2025. 

agree with all of that, and i will piggy back on your last sentence to say that we wont get a stud at every one of the positions you listed this year, but we will finish the job next year.

And that's why I dont think we will trade down to address all those spots, but look to address some of them with superior talent. Im not sure of this, but it's what I'd do.

[Stinger226]

1 hour ago, adam said:

I mean, really, if they add an Edge, DT, WR3, and Center before the season starts. Who is the weakest starting player? Nate Davis? They have Ryan Bates is waiting in the wings. I honestly can't think of another player that would be considered a liability who is starting.  

Also, the Bears still have 3 picks in the first two rounds in 2025 (thanks Panthers). So any liability identified this year will have instant backfill in 2025. 

Davis won't be a problem. He has played above average his whole career but his mom dying blew his season up. Poles stuck by him all year. Jenkins injuries is the wild card.  Braxton and Wright should progress and we have depth. 

Let's say we don't trade we have 3 spots we can probably get starters. 

QB - Edge - WR. 4th round pick will depth piece. The WR has depth this year.

[adam]

59 minutes ago, Stinger226 said:

Davis won't be a problem. He has played above average his whole career but his mom dying blew his season up. Poles stuck by him all year. Jenkins injuries is the wild card.  Braxton and Wright should progress and we have depth. 

Let's say we don't trade we have 3 spots we can probably get starters. 

QB - Edge - WR. 4th round pick will depth piece. The WR has depth this year.

If Davis is even average, this is a 10+ win team. Then the next worst is probably whoever is Center unless it is JPJ.

[Stinger226]

What's nice what Poles is doing now is building depth . There is always injuries and our depth hurt us last year. 

[BearFan PHX]

29 minutes ago, Stinger226 said:

What's nice what Poles is doing now is building depth . There is always injuries and our depth hurt us last year. 

depth and also enough CYA players so that he can pick talent and not be stuck having to address every position.

It depends on whether youre trying to win this year, or consistently going forward. If you need to win this year, WR just became less important in the draft. But if you're trying to build a roster for the long run, Allen has a one year deal and is over 30, and it could be the perfect situation to bring a young talented WR in to to learn under Moore and Allen. Allen possibly leaves next year, or maybe the year after, and a young Odunze, Nabers or whoever is ready to step in.

But if you really love Bowers or Alt and they drop, given the way the roster is right now, it'd be ok to wait for next year to get the WR if you have an OT, DL Bowers etc more highly rated and they are there.

That's the second benefit of these depth players. If one of them has to actually play, it could be OK. Ditto for injuries.